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Princess Birthday Cake

Princess Birthday Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened (frosting)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (frosting)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (frosting)
  • 2-4 tbsp heavy cream (frosting)
  • Pink gel food coloring
  • Sprinkles and a cake crown topper

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 8-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat 1 cup butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time and vanilla.
  3. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, mixing just until smooth. Divide batter among pans.
  4. Bake 22-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks.
  5. For the buttercream, beat 2 cups butter until pale, then slowly add powdered sugar. Mix in 2 tsp vanilla and enough cream for a spreadable consistency. Tint with pink gel coloring.
  6. Level one cake layer, spread with ¾ cup frosting, top with second layer and repeat. Place final layer flat side up. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill 20 minutes.
  7. Finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream, press sprinkles around the bottom edge, and top with the crown.

Notes

The cake layers must cool completely before you frost, so plan for at least an hour of cooling time not counted in the prep. Unfrosted layers can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month. For the smoothest frosting, use an offset spatula and a spinning cake stand.